Mowing-machine.



T. E. EWER.

MOWING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19,1907

Patented May 11, 1909.

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T. E. EWER.

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T. E. EWER. MQWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.

921,210. Patented May 11,1909.

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T. H. EWER.-

MOWING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.

Patehted ma 11, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 THOMAS E. EWER, OF FORT DES MOINES, IOWA.

MOWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed July 19, 1907. Serial No. 384,577.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. EVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Des Moines, in the county of Folk and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Mowing-liachine, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates toimprovements in mowing machines.

The object of thepresent invention is to improve the construction ofmowing niachines, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficientmowing machine of great strength and durability, provided with cuttingmechanism adapted to cut close to trees and stumps, and capable ofcutting grain smoothly at each side of a knoll.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide means for raisin andlowering the cutting mechanism and the supporting frame a sufficientdistance to enable the machine to pass over high stumps and forpivotally adjusting the cutting mechanism to arrange the same in properposition with relation to the ground, and also to throw thecutting'meclu anism up out of the way when desired.

Another object of the invention is to. provide means for adjustablyconnecting the draft animals with the tongue and with the main orsupporting frame at the inner end of the cutting mechanism, and therebyreliev ing the frame of the end thrust, which is present when the draftdevices are mounted solely on the tongue.

l i ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshere to appended it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section, showing amowing machine constructed in accordance 'ith this invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. l is alongitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on the line d d ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 an enlarged detail sectional view, taken substantially onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken substantially on the line66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail construction of the flexibleshaft for connecting the gearing with the crank shaft, whichreciprocates the cutter or sickle bar. Figs. 8 and 9' are detailsectional views, illustrating the construction of the slidableconnection between the doubletree and the tongue. Fig. 10 is a detailview of one of the clutches. Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view, takensubstantially on the line 77 of Fig. 3. Fig. 12 is a detail view of theclutch mechanism. Fig. 13 is a detail view, illustrating the manner ofmounting the tongue on the axle. Fig. 14: is a detail view of the catchfor locking the cutting mechanism in an elevated position. Fig. 15 is adetail horizontal sectional view, illustrating the manner of yieldablymounting the swathboard.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures. of the draw 1g.

The main frame of the machine, which is pivotally supported by an axle1,, is provided at the right hand side, or the side adjacent to thecutting mechanism with a gear case 2, consisting of a body portion 3,inner and outer side plates 1 and 5 and a top or cap 6, hinged at itsfront end 7 and detachably' secured at its rear end to the body of thegear case by means of a transverse bolt 8, or other suitable fasteningdevice. The front end of the case is provided with a perforated lug orcar 9, and the cap or cover 6 has spaced ears or lugs, which receive thelug or ear 9 between them. A pivot or spindle 10 pierces the lugs orears. The rear end of the bony of the case and the cap or cover areprovided with similar lugs or ears 1] and 12 to receive the fasteningdevice 8. When the fastening device '8 is removed, the cap or cover maybe swung upward to afford access to the gearing hereinafter described.The side plates are secured to the body of the gear case by suitablefastening devices, but the sides may be cast with the body of the case,if desired. The inner side plate is cast integral with a sleeve 13,which incases the axle.

The axle is supported by carrying wheels 1 and 1.5, loosely arranged onthe ends of the shaft and connected with the same by suitable clutches16', which cause a rotation of the shaft or axle, when the machine movesforwardly and which permits a backward rotation of the carrying wheelsindependently of the shaft or axle. The hubs of the wheels are providedat their inner ends with cylindrical extensions 17 to receive theclutches, and the latter have tapering recesses 18 receiving shortrollers 19, and forming angularly disposed faces to cause the rollers toengage the cylindrical extensions of the hubs of the wheels, when thelatter rotate forwardly.

The main frame is provided at the front of the gear case with anintegral forwardly extending arm or bar 20, provided at its front endwith a substantially inverted U-shaped yoke 21 to which the inner shoe22 of the cutting apparatus is pivotally connected. The yoke isconnected with .the sleeve by a brace or coupling bar 23, arranged at anangle to the bar or arm 20 and provided at its front end with a forkedportion 24, having an integral inverted U-shaped attaching plate 25,which is bolted, or otherwise secured to the yoke at the inner sidethereof. The rear end of the coupling bar or brace 23 is secured by abolt, or other suitable fastening device, and the ear or lug 26, formedintegral with the sleeve, is arranged at an angle to the same. The lugor ear 26 is located at a point between the center of the axle and thewheel 15, and the coupling bar or brace forms a rigid connection.

The inner shoe, to which the inner end of the finger bar 27 is secured,is provided with a pair of lugs or ears 28 and 29, which extend betweenthe legs of the yoke 21, and the said shoe is also provided at its rearend with a lug or ear 30, which is arranged. at the rear face of therear leg of the yoke. The front lug or ear 28 is provided with aforwardly projecting pivot 31, which operates in a substantiallyvertical slot 32 of the front leg of the yoke. The rear leg of the yokeis provided with a slot or opening 33 in which is arranged a block 34,having an opening for a pivot 35, and the latter is mounted inregistering perforations of the ears or lugs 29 and 30. The pivots 31and 35 permit the cutting apparatus to swing upwardly and downwardly ina direction transversely of the mower, and they also enable the innershoe to be tilted backwardly and forwardly. The inner shoe is alsoprovided with spaced bearings 36, lo cated at the inner side of the yokeand receiving a crank shaft 37, having a crank bend 38, operatingbetween the spaced bearings 36 and connected with the inner end of thecutter or sickle bar 39 by a link or short pitman 40. The link 40 isbifurcated at its outer end to receive a lug or car 41 of the cutter orsickle bar, which is reciprocated when the crank shaft is rotated. Thesickle or cutter bar may be slidably mounted on the finger ber 44. Theknuckle joint 43 embodies a casing composed of two separable sectionssecured together by suitable fastening devices 45, which pass throughregistering perforations of the projecting flanges. The casing isprovided at its ends with flared openings 46 and 47, arranged in planesat right angles to each other. The opening 46 receives the rear end ofthe crank shaft, and the casing is provided at the inner end of theopening 46 with a bearing opening 48, ar ranged transversely withrelation to the flared opening 46 and receiving the pivot 42. Thetubular member 44, which receives a telescopic member 49, is providedwith a neck 50, which operates in the flared opening 47 and which isprovided with a pivot 51. The pivot 51 is arranged transversely withrelation to the pivot 42 and the upper opening 47, and is received in abearing opening 52. The bar or member 40 is provided with a longitudinalopening, and the other bar or member 49, which is slidable into and outof the member 44, is connected by a knuckle joint 53 with an upper shaft54, arranged at an inclination and journaled in suitable bearings 55 ofthe gear case. The knuckle joint 53 embodies a casing constructedsimilar to the casing of the knuckle joint 43, the bar or member 49being provided with a pivot 55 and the shaft 54 being provided at itsfront end with a pivot 56, arranged at right angles to the pivot 53. Thetelesco ic members and the knuckle joints form a iexible shafting orconnection for communicating rotary movement from the shaft 54 to thecrank shaft 56, and the flexible shafting or connection is adapted toaccommodate'itself to the adjustments of the cutting apparatus. Theshaft 54 is arranged at an inclination, and the knuckle joint 53operates in a front recess 57 in the gear case at the inner sidethereof.

The upper end of the shaft 54 is provided with a beveled pinion 58,which meshes with a beveled gear 59, and the latter is keyed, orotherwise secured to a short transverse shaft 60. The short transverseshaft 66 is journaled in suitable bearings of the side plates 4 and 5,and it extends through an opening of a longitudinal wall or partition 61of the body of the gear case. The partition or wall 61, which is formedintegral with the body of the gear case, divides the same into tworecesses or spaces, one of which accommodates the bevel gear wheel 59,and the other a spur pinion 62 and a spur wheel 63. The spur wheel 63,which meshes with the pinion 62, is keyed or otherwise secured to theshaft or axle 1. VJhen the latter is carried by the wheel, ro-

tary motion is communicated through the gearing and the flexibleshafting to the crank shaft, which reciprocates the cutter or sicklebar.

The spur pinion 62 is mounted on a square portion 116 of the shaft 60,and the latter is provided with a projecting pin or key 117 for engagingrecesses in the outer face of the bevel gear 59, whereby the latter isinterlocked with the shaft 60. The shaft 60 is maintained normallyinterlocked with the gear 59 by means of a coiled spring 118, arrangedon the outer ends of the shaft, which extends beyond the outer side ofthe gear case. The spring is interposed between a step 119 and the gearcase, the stop being preferably formed by a washer and a pin or key, asshown. The inner end of the shaft 60 is provided with a loose roundedportion 120, which extends through a perforation of an arm 121, and thelatter is adapted to en gage a cam flange 122, mounted on the innerplate 5 of the gear case. when the arm is engaged with the cam flange122, the shaft 60 is ntoved longitudinally a sufficient distance todisengage the key or pin 17 from the bevel gear wheel 59. This throwsthe machine out of operation and stops the cutting mechanism. The arm121 extends rearwardly from the shaft 60 and its rear end is bentlaterally and is adapted to be readily operated by the foot of thedriver.

The sleeve of the main frame is provided at opposite sides of its centerwith rearwardly projecting ears or studs 64, to which are pivoteddepending ears or studs of a plate or platform 66, having a roughenedupper face to prevent the feet of the driver from slipping. A seat 67 ismounted on the plate or platform for the accommodation of the driver,the plate or platform being provided with a recessed extension 68 towhich the lower end of the seat standard 69 is secured. The plate orplatform is provided at one end with a longitudinal groove or recess 70,in which is secured the rear portion of a tongue 71. The grooved orrecessed endportion of the plate or platform has longitudinal sideflanges to fit against the side faces of the tongue, and a tool box 72is preferably connected with the flange at the left hand side of thetongue, an oil can holder 73 being mounted in advance of the tool box.

The main frame is adapted to be tilted on the axle by means of a footlever 74 to enable the machine to pass over a high stump, and the saidfoot lever, which is disposed longitudinally of the mowing machine, islocated at the right hand side of the tongue. The rear end 7 5 of thelever 74 is pivoted to an ear or lug 76 of one of the flanges of thelate or platform 66, and the front end of the ever 74 is provided with afoot plate 77. The lever 74 is connected at an intermediate point by alink 7 8 with the rear portion of the gear case. When the lever 74 isdepressed, the rear portion of the gear caseis swung downwardly and thefront portion of the main frame is swung upwardly. The front portion ofthe main pivoted at its lower end to a forwardly projecting arm 80 by apin or pivot 81, or other suitable fastening device and provided at itsupper end with a head 82, extending rearwardly and arranged to engageover the foot plate of the lever 74. The arm 80 is formed integral withthe right hand side or flange of the plate or platform 66, and it isprovided at its front end with an upwardly projecting lug 83, forming astop for limiting the forward swing of the latch, whereby the latch isretained in position for engaging the foot plate of the lever 7 4. Therearward swing of the latch 79 is limited by a suitable shoulder 84 ofthe arm 80.

The cutting apparatus is swung upwardly by a lifting lever 85, suitablyfixed to a transverse crank shaft 86, provided at its outer end with acrank arm 87. The crank shaft is journaled in suitable bearings oftoothed segments 88 and 89, and the curved arm is connected by asuitable link 90 with a lug or ear 91 of the inner shoe. When thelifting lever is oscillated, the cutting apparatus will be raised orlowered according to the direction in which the lever 85 is moved. Thelever 85 is secured in this adjustment by means of a spring actuated dogor detent 92, connected with a rotary lever 93 and engaging the toothedsegments 88. The shaft 86 also forms a fulcrum for a tilting lever 94,provided at the bottom with a short arm 95, which is connected by a link96 with a lug or ear 97 of the inner shoe of the cutting apparatus. Thelug or ear is located in advance of the yoke, and when the tilting lever94 is oscillated, the front end of the shoe will be raised or loweredaccording as the lever 94 is moved backwardly or forwardly. Thisadjustment sets the cutting apparatus at the proper angle and the lever94 is secured in its adjustment by means of a spring actuated dog ordetent 98, connected with a latch lever 99 and engaging the toothedsegment 89.

The front side of the yoke of the main frame is provided with aforwardly projecting substantially vertical flange 100, having aplurality of perforations 101 and adjustably connected to the lower rearend of an inclined link 102, which extends upwardly and forwardly to adoubletree 103. The doubletree 103, which extends from opposite sides ofthe tongue, is designed to be equipped with suitable swingletrees, andit is provided at the back with an eye 104 receiving the front end. ofthe link 102 and provided with an eccentrically arranged eye 105. Theeye 105 receives a central reduced portion 106 of a roller 107 havingheads at its upper and lower ends to operate in upper an d lower ways1.08 and 109 of a guide 110. The upper and lower heads of the roller arespaced from the whiifletree by intermediate frame is held in suchelevated position by 3 reduced portions, located at the upper and meansof an upwardly extending latch 79, 1 lower edges of the eyes 105 andinterposed between the saw and the heads 107. The guide, which iscomposed of upper and lower sections, is secured to the lower face ofthe tongue by front and rear bolts 111 and 112, and it is provided atits rear end with upwardly extending lugs 113, located at the side facesof the tongue and extending to the upper face thereof, whereby the guideis held against lateral movement. The guide is provided with an openrear end and it has side openings 114 through which the doubletreeextends. The front end 115 of the guide is closed to form a stop forlimiting the forward movement of the doubletree. By connecting the draftwith the tongue, the side draft is reduced to a minimum and the strainresulting from the forward thrust of the ordinary main frame iseliminated.

The swath-board 123 is yieldably connected with. the outer or dividershoe 12-1 by means of a spring 125, and a fastening device 126,consisting of a bolt, is provided with a nut, which engages the spring.The bolt, which is connected with the swath-board, pierces the shoe andthe spring permits a limited lateral movement of the swathboard.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mowing achine, the combination of a main frame provided at thefront with a projecting flange or portion having a plurality ofperforations located at different elevations, means for pivotallymounting the main frame a tongue, a whii'ifletree eccentric allypivoted. to the tongue, and a central connection extending directly frthe whiflietree to the projecting flange or por tion of the main frameand provided with means for engaging the said perforations.

2. In a mowing machine, the combination of a main frame, means forpivotally mounting the main fr e, a cutting apparatus carried by thesame, a tongue, a guide secured to the tongue and provided with spacedup per and lower ways, a whiflietree extending through the space betweenthe ways, and a roller nzounted on the whifll etree and having its endsslida ly engaging the upper and lower ways, said roller constituting thesole connection between the whiffletree and the ways, and a connectionextending from the y whifiietree to the main frail-re.

3. In a mowing machine, the combination of a main frame, a cuttingapparatus carried by the sat-2. a tongue, a guide mounted on the tongueand provided at opposite sides with openings and having ways arranged atthe top and bottom of the said openings, a whiflietree extending throughthe openings of the guide, a roller mounted on the whiffletrec andprovided with upper and lower heads slidable in the upper and lower waysof the guides, said roller constituting the sole connection between thewhiffletree and the guide and having reduced intermediate portionsspacing the head of the roller from the whiffletree, and means forconnecting the whiffletree with the cutting apparatus.

4. In a mowing machine, the combination of a main frame, a cuttingapparatus carried by the same, a tongue, a guide secured to the lowerface of the tongue and provided at opposite sides of the tongue withupwardly ex tending lugs, said guide being provided with side openingsand having a stop at the front, a whiflletree extending through theopenings of the guide and arranged to engage the stop, a pivot connectedwith the whifiietree and operating in the guide, and means forconnecting the whiflletree with the main frame.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an axle, ofa main frame having a transverse sleeve to receive the axle and providedwith a longitudinal gear case, a transverse plate or platform locatedabove and hinged to the sleeve and provided with a longitudinaltongue-receiving portion extending in advance and in rear of the plateor platform and located adjacent to and spaced from the gear case, and alever operating in the space between the gear case and thetongue-receiving portion and connected with both of the said parts.

6. In a mowing machine, the combination with an axle, of a main framehaving a trans verse sleeve to receive the axle and provided with alongitudinal gear case extending in advance and in rear of the axle andhaving a hinged top, a plate or platform hinged to the sleeve andprovided with a grooved portion 7 w front and intermediate lugs beinglocated between the legs'of the yoke, and front and rear pivotsoperating in the slots of the legs of the yoke, the front pivot beingmounted on the front lug and the rear pivot being supported by theintermediate and rear lugs.

8. In a mowing machine, the combination of a main frame provided at itsfront with a rigid yoke having front and rear slots, a cutting apparatusprovided with an end shoe having front, rear and intermediate lugs, thefront and intermediate lugs being located between the legs of the yoke,a pivot mounted on the front lug and operating in the front slot of theyoke, a block loosely mounted in the rear slot of the yoke, and a rearpivot extending through the block and connected with the intermediateand rear lugs,

9. In a mowing machine, the combination of a main frame provided at thefront with a yoke, a cutting apparatus pivotally connected with theyoke, spaced bearings mounted on the yoke and provided with ratchetteeth, a crank shaft mounted in the bearings and connected with thecutting apparatus, a tilting lever pivotally mounted on the shaft andalso connected with the cutting apparatus and provided with means forengaging the teeth of one of the bearings, and a lifting lever connectedwith the shaft for rotating the same to swing the cutting apparatusupwardly and downwardly, said lifting lever being provided with meansfor engaging the teeth of the other bearing.

10. In a mowing machine, the combina tion with an axle, of a main frameprovided with a longitudinal gear case and having a sleeve receiving theaxle, a plate pivotally connected with the sleeve and provided with agrooved portion extending longitudinally of the machine and locatedadjacent to and spaced from the gear case, said pivoted plate beingprovided at the front with an arm having an upwardly extending lug, atongue secured in the grooved portion of the pivoted plate, a leveroperating in the space between the gear case and the pivoted plate andconnected with both of the said parts, and a catch mounted on the saidarm and arranged to engage the lever, said catch being located in rearof the lug and having its forward movement limited by the same.

11. In a mowing machine, the combination with an axle, and carryingwheels, of a main frame pivotally mounted on the axle and provided witha gear case and having an shaft mounted on the inner shoe, a linkconnecting the crank shaft with the cutter bar and extending through theyoke, an inclined shaft mounted on the gear case, gearing located withinthe gear case and connecting the inclined shaft with the axle, and aflexible extensible shafting connected with the crank shaft and with theinclined shaft.

12. In a mowing machine, the combination with an axle, and carryingwheels, of a main frame pivotally mounted on the axle and provided witha gear case and having an arm extending forwardly from the gear case, ayoke rigid with and located at the front of the arm, a cutting apparatusembodying a reciprocatory cutter bar, and an inner shoe pivotallyconnected to the yoke, a crank shaft mounted on the inner shoe, a linkconnecting the crank shaft with the cutter bar and extending through thesaid yoke, an inclined shaft mounted on the gear case, gearing locatedwithin the gear case and connecting the inclined shaft with the axle,and a flexible extensible shafting connected with the crank shaft andwith the inclined shaft.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. EWER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. HELLER, F. S. DUNTHER.

